Conversations
by Maaya
Summary: About a conversation between the Elric brothers. AlxWinry


Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.  
  
Gah, OOC warning. Because if Ed found out that Al was in love he'd most probably be horrified. I think. Or just clueless. Of course he refused to be like that when I write this piece. Furthermore, this is Al/Winry. See end notes for a remark about the pairing. Hmm, poor grammar because the author's first language is not English.  
  
***  
  
Conversations by Maaya  
  
***  
  
Alphonse had, when he had first gotten used to living in a suit of armour, squirmed when sitting still for long periods of time. It had been purely out of habit, because his metal body couldn't actually feel antsy and uncomfortable like a human body can. Over time, though, he'd grown out of doing it.  
  
Ed, still trapped in the overly energetic body of his, had not. He squirmed, stretched, moved, stirred and further practiced the art of non- immovableness, painfully aware of how he wasted an awful lot of time in small train-seats which weren't created to allow people to move. In times like these, he was lucky he was sma...not as big as some other people. And Al was lucky he couldn't feel how uncomfortable it was to be too big during train-trips.  
  
They, or rather Edward, preferred the days when it was cloudy to sit on trains. Hot, dusty railroad-cars were one of the worst things he could think of; that special *dry* smell, heat causing you to sweat sticky salt- water which plastered your shirt to your back and bangs to your face...no – cloudy days were the best. If not rainy, because then he and Al could watch the drops of water creating patterns on the window, starting high up and then quiver and quiver until they crept lower and lower, and finally hit the edge furthest down.. When they were younger and Mom occasionally took them for a train-ride somewhere, the boys had put bets on one water-droplet each, competing in which one's would reach bottom first.  
  
They didn't bet about it anymore, but sometimes when it *was* raining, Ed watched the drops of water and remembered. Sometimes, he would also throw a glance Alphonse's way, and be able to tell that his little brother did, too.  
  
Now – though - it wasn't raining, or even overcast. Sun shone brilliantly through the window, covering Edward and Al in broiling light that was hot enough to force Ed to wipe away sweat from his forehead, muttering under his breath. "Hothothothot...so damn hot!"  
  
"You should go to sleep, brother." Alphonse told him gently and with the patience of a mother. He *had* to have a lot of patience when travelling with his older sibling because, after all, Edward had none to offer. "We won't be there in at least three hours, and knowing you, you'll go through the entire library as soon as we find it. Why not get some sleep now?"  
  
"I *can't*." Ed moaned and tapped his auto-mail-but-glove-covered fingers against the armrest. Leaning his head against the window, he glanced out at the scenery rushing past. They were crossing the country-side, right now rounding a rather large lake, reflecting the same light blue colour as the sky.  
  
Al looked too, being tall enough to see over his big-brother's head. He wouldn't, of course, mention this fact to said brother, he wasn't *that* stupid. If he ever had a sudden wish to loose a head or an arm, he would immediately do it, though.  
  
After a moment of companionable silence between the two, Ed spoke, using that certain soft voice he had when he felt sentimental. "It was a long time ago we went swimming, wasn't it?" He suddenly snickered. "Right. You would probably float anyway, in that body."  
  
"And you would sink like a stone, with that arm and leg." Al retorted smoothly.  
  
"Hmm." The oldest brother looked thoughtful for a moment, before plastering a careless grin onto his face, breaking his gaze at the lake by casually leaning back, eyes closed. "Well, the first thing *I'm* gonna do when my body is restored, is to go swimming! For a loooong time, too!"  
  
"...Of course, brother."  
  
"Hm?" Edward revealed a slit of one eye as he glanced over at the metal body with a very human soul, curious about the meek reply. "What's wrong?" Alphonse shrugged, but Ed, who knew his brother the best, could tell that there was something...off about the way the shrug was handled. Too...hesitant, maybe?  
  
Al was almost always discreet and soft-spoken. The thing was, when there was something he tried to avoid speaking about, he became even more graceful and diplomatic than he already was – on the verge to be annoyingly polite, really. When he became like that, there were two things one could do, either leave it alone, or wheedle him into telling what was on his mind. Ed preferred the second option.  
  
"What's the first thing you'll do when you get your body back, huh? Come on...tell your big brother!"  
  
"I-I don't know."  
  
Edward looked at him suspiciously but uncharacteristically let the subject fall. Perhaps he heard the note of embarrassment in Al's voice and decided to be nice.  
  
A few moments later found them back in lazy silence again. Silence, except the Fullmetal Alchemist's steady ramble of "hothothothothot..."  
  
Five minutes later, Al found *himself* growing tired of the chant.  
  
"Why don't you eat something?" He suggested subtly.  
  
The blonde boy lit up at the idea, either ignoring the fact that the hint was probably to shut him up, or ignoring it. "That's a *great* idea! Winry cooked something, didn't she?" Suddenly suspicious at the realization, he continued. "Has she ever cooked before? Maybe she's trying to poison me..."  
  
"I don't think she would."  
  
"Think!? Jeez..." Edward bit into a sandwich, pleased to find that it was pretty good. "It's delicious...why haven't I seen her cook before...wait, she never does anything else than play with machines..." He devoured the sandwich as he talked, ignoring that he ended up talking with his mouth full. "I don't see why people always think she's my girlfriend. The idea sickens me."  
  
"She's not that bad, brother." Alphonse's voice was reproachful, although he knew Ed didn't think Winry was 'that bad' either. It was just that Edward didn't like admitting such sappy things.  
  
"I mean--" Ed continued as if he hadn't heard. "Why *my* girlfriend? Logically, why not yours, Al...?"  
  
"Uhm..."  
  
The Fullmetal Alchemist blinked at the obviously unsure reply. "I mean, not that you *like* her or anything--"  
  
"Ehh..." A blush couldn't be heard but this was as close as it would ever get. Edward might be dense, but this couldn't be ignored.  
  
"—ohmygod, you *do* like her!"  
  
"No!...Uhm...maybe a little..."  
  
Ed stared at his brother for a moment, as if trying to decide whether or not to be horrified or gleeful about the news. Eventually, he decided to slip into cocky big-brother mode. It looked like he was going to ruffle Al's hair but realized it wasn't very much to ruffle so he settled for hitting his brother's armour lightly with his palm. "Little brother, you're growing up! Have you told her?"  
  
If possible, Al managed to look embarrassed. "Stop it, brother." Then, hesitantly, his voice suddenly changed and became more vulnerable. "I think...that the first thing I'll do when I have my body back...will be to tell her."  
  
Ed blinked, unable to understand. "Why wait 'til then?"  
  
If Alphonse would have been able to it would've been his turn to blink. "Because...this body..."  
  
In the blink of an eye Edward's face changed into something serious. It was amazing how quick he could do that, to go from chatting mode to turn into something that looked far too old to be a fifteen year old. "Al...honestly. Do you think she would care? Winry's...Winry. If anything, she'd like you *better* as a machine, being the geek she is..."  
  
Alphonse looked doubtful.  
  
"...and if she turns you down because you look like that now, you shouldn't be together with her anyway."  
  
It was a strangely wise advice from his older brother, and although Al wasn't convinced yet, he let the subject be closed with that.  
  
Their train-trip continued.  
  
***  
  
The End  
  
***  
  
It bothers me how Al/Winry almost always seems to take place sometimes when Al has got his body back. Why's that? Of course, love-making would be a little hard, but they're just kids. Al is what, fourteen? Winry doesn't seem like a girl to care too much about appearances, and she is very cute to Al in the series even in a machine's body.  
  
I'm not very happy with this story but I can't rewrite it anymore so tell me what you thin, okay? C&C's very welcome.  
  
I'll go and write GW now. ^^;  
  
Oh, and placing bets on water drops? I used to do that with my older brother when we were younger. ^_^ 


End file.
